7 Ways to Recover Unsaved/Deleted Notepad Files on Windows 11/10

Have you ever worked on something important in Notepad, only to lose it before saving it? If so, you’re not alone. Many people face this issue and think their work is gone for good. But there’s good news! You can recover Notepad files with a few simple steps.

This article will guide you through easy methods to bring back your lost or unsaved Notepad documents. Whether you accidentally deleted a file or forgot to hit save, we have a solution for each scenario. So, take a deep breath and read on to find out how you can reclaim your work and keep your peace of mind intact. Let’s discuss how to retrieve Notepad files effectively.

Can I Recover Unsaved Notepad Files?

Notepad does not auto-save files. If you forget to save, you may lose your work. But you can sometimes find unsaved files in the temporary folder before you restart your computer.

Once you restart, you can’t get those files back without a previous backup. Still, it’s easier to recover deleted notepad files because they are plain text.
We will guide you through seven easy methods to retrieve deleted Notepad documents. Remember, always try to save your work regularly to avoid losing important information. The following parts will help you manage and recover Notepad files effectively.

How to Recover Unsaved Notepad Files on Windows 11/10?

Losing unsaved notepad files can be frustrating. But, don’t worry! There are still ways to try and get your files back. We’re going to look at three effective methods:

Way 1. Recover Notepad Files in Simple Clicks

Are you looking to get back your Notepad files fast? There’s a simple way to do it: Glarysoft File Recovery. This tool is great for when you’ve lost files and need them back quickly. It scans your computer to find lost Notepad documents.

Furthermore, Glarysoft is easy to use. You don’t need to be a tech expert to work it. It helps find files that disappeared, whether deleted by mistake or lost some other way.

Just a few clicks and you might have your files back. It’s a handy tool to try when recovering notepad files.

Key Features of Glarysoft File Recovery

• Glarysoft File Recovery features an easy-to-use interface. It ensures that users of all tech levels can navigate file recovery effortlessly.
• It offers quick scan options for fast searches. And deep scan options for a more thorough investigation of the hard drive for lost files.
• The tool supports a wide variety of file types. Hence, allowing for the recovery of not just Notepad files but also photos, documents, and more.
• Users can preview files before recovery. Thus, making sure they only restore the files they need.
• Glarysoft is capable of recovering files from a range of devices. They include the computer’s internal hard drive, external drives, USBs, and other storage devices.
• It includes filter and search features, which help users quickly find specific files by type or name.

Now that you know what is Glarysoft File Recovery. Next, have a look at how to use it to recover notepad files.

How to Use Glary File Recovery to Recover Lost Notepad Files?

Follow the steps below to use Glary File Recovery to recover lost Notepad files.

Step 1: Download and Install

First of all, download and install Glary File Recovery.

Step 2: Scan Files

Choose the hard drive where you lost your data. The software can scan through FAT, NTFS, and NTFS+EFS file systems. Then Click Scan to start the full scan of the selected location.

After the scan, use the left panel to sort files. You can filter by name, type, size, date, path, or file type. This makes finding what you need effortless.

Step 3: Preview and Restore

Glarysoft File Recovery lets you pick and see a preview of the file you want. You can change preview formats or zoom in for a closer look.

After checking the files and making sure they are the right ones, pick the files you wish to restore. Hit the “Recover” button to bring back the lost data. Then, pick a spot to save these files and finish up. Now, view the recovered files.

That’s all about using Glarysoft File Recovery to recover Notepad files. You’ve seen how simple it is to use this efficient tool. However, if you don’t want to use it, jump to the next section.

Way 2. Recover Notepad Files from Temporary Files Folder

If you close a Notepad file without saving it, there’s a small chance of finding the text in the Windows temp files folder. This works if your computer has yet to restart or shut down since then.

Where Do Notepad Files Get Stored in Windows 11/10?

On Windows 11/10, the location for temp files, specifically in the roaming folder, is at C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming.

Steps To Recover Notepad Files From Temporary Files Folder

Follow the below steps to recover notepad files from the temporary files folder.

Step 1. To access the temp folder on Windows 11/10, type %AppData% in the Start menu search. Alternatively, you can manually go to C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming using File Explorer.

Step 2. Then, type *.txt in the search bar at the top of the temp files folder and press Enter. This action searches for all files ending in .txt within the folder.

Step 3. Look at the search results and check if your unsaved Notepad text file exists.

Now that we have covered how to recover notepad files from the temporary files folder.

If you don’t want to use this method, worry not! We have enlisted another method for you to recover unsaved Notepad files.

Way 3. Recover Unsaved Notepad Files from Previous Versions

The third method is for when you need to get back parts of a Notepad file you didn’t save. Say you added new content to a Notepad file on your Windows 11/10 PC but forgot to save it. A smart move is to bring the file back to an earlier version. This only works if you’ve turned on File History. Or set up a system restore beforehand. Below are the steps to follow to recover notepad files from previous versions.

Step 1. Go to the folder with your Notepad file and right-click on an empty spot in the folder.

Step 2. Choose Properties from the drop-down list.

Step 3. Look at the list of previous versions of this folder. Pick and open a recent version to see if it has the Notepad file you need. Then, click the Restore button.

We’ve gone through all the steps for this method. But what if you’ve accidentally deleted Notepad files? Don’t worry! We’ve also explored solutions for this problem. Let’s move on to the next section!

How to Recover Deleted/Lost Notepad Files on Windows 11/10?

For the tricky task of recovering deleted or lost Notepad files in Windows 11/10, we’ve gathered three possible ways to assist you.

Method 1. Recover Deleted/Lost Notepad Files from Windows Backup

There’s a saying: “No backup, no recovery.” It’s somewhat overstated. But true that regular backups make it easier to recover unexpected Notepad file losses. Below, we’ll show you how to recover Notepad files that got deleted or lost by restoring a backup in Windows 11/10. Here is how you can recover deleted or lost files from Windows backup.

Step 1. From the Start search bar, Open Control Panel.

Step 2. Then, go to System and Security. Next, navigate to Backup and Restore.

Step 3. Go to the Restore section and select Restore My Files.

Step 4. Find and search the Notepad files you want to restore from the backup folder. Then, click the Next button.

Step 5. Choose a location to save your recovered Notepad files. Next, click on Restore to start the recovery.

That’s it! Now let’s move to the second potential method to recover notepad files that have been lost or deleted.

Method 2. Recover Deleted/Lost Notepad Files from Recycle Bin

If you’ve just deleted or lost Notepad notes, check the Windows 11/10 Recycle Bin. They might still be there. Quickly restore them from the Recycle Bin. Remember, if the Recycle Bin fills over 5% of the hard drive space, it auto-deletes older items. Below are the steps to help you recover deleted or lost notepad files from the Recycle bin.

Step 1. On your desktop, Open the Recycle Bin by Double-clicking the icon.

Step 2. Now find the lost Notepad file. If it’s crowded, sort by Name, Size, Type, Date Deleted, etc., to find it easier.

Step 3. Then right-click on the notepad file and hit on Restore.

Step 4. To recover many Notepad files, hold the Ctrl key and select them. Then, click “Restore the selected items” to bring them all back at once.

Till now, you know how to recover lost or deleted files from the recycle bin. It’s time to move to the next method to recover notepad files that are lost or deleted!

Method 3. Recover Notepad Files with Windows File Recovery

Another tool to consider is Windows File Recovery by Microsoft. It helps retrieve lost Notepad files for free. However, it operates through command lines, not simple clicks. This might be challenging for those not tech experts. Also, remembering the Notepad file’s name is necessary for recovery. Follow the below steps to recover notepad files with Windows File Recovery.

Step 1. First of all, download the Windows File Recovery tool from the Microsoft Store.

Step 2. Install the program. Then launch it in a Command Prompt window with Administrator privileges.

Step 3. Now, type the command: winfr C: D: /n \Users\(Username)\Documents\(file name).txt.

Step 4. To begin the recovery process, press ‘Y’. Then, navigate to the D: drive to retrieve the lost Notepad document on Windows 11 or 10.

So far, we have discussed all three methods to recover notepad files that were lost or deleted. Let’s maintain our pace and proceed to the next part of our discussion.

How to Recover Notepad++ Unsaved Files from Autosave

Notepad++ offers an autosave feature, unlike Notepad. Users can enable this by going to Settings > Preferences > Backup. Here, you turn on “Enable session snapshot and periodic backup.”

This allows for easy recovery of unsaved notes, even after restarting Notepad++. Additionally, we’ll show how to use this auto-backup feature to restore unsaved files.

Where Does Notepad++ Store Unsaved Files?

Notepad++ saves unsaved files in a temporary folder on your Windows 11/10 computer. You can find these backup files at C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Notepad++\backup.

How Can You Recover Unsaved Notepad++ Files？

Below are the steps to recover unsaved Notepad++ files.

Step 1. Go to the backup folder on your Windows PC where Notepad++ stores unsaved files.

Step 2. Find and open each of the unsaved Notepad++ files you wish to recover.

That concludes this method! Next, we’ll tackle some frequently asked questions in the following part!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Where are Notepad files saved?

Notepad, renowned for its ease of use, allows users to easily capture important details in plain text. On a Windows system, the default saving location for Notepad files is at C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming. This simplicity contributes to Notepad’s widespread use for quick notes and text editing tasks.

Q2. Are Notepad files the same as Notepad++ files?

Notepad files and Notepad++ files are not the same. Notepad creates simple text files (.txt). While Notepad++ can handle a variety of formats, including programming languages, with more features. However, both can open and edit plain text files.

Q3. How do I restore a Notepad txt file?

To find unsaved Notepad files, use the “Win + S” shortcut to open the search box. Type %AppData% and press Enter to access the Roaming folder. Then, search for “.txt” to locate any unsaved Notepad documents you’re looking for.

Final Thought

Losing Notepad files can feel like a big setback. But, you can often recover Notepad files with the right steps. This guide showed you how. For quick recovery, Glarysoft File Recovery is a great tool. With simple clicks, you can recover all your data by using this tool. So just free download Glarysoft File Recovery to try it. Don’t worry too much about lost files anymore. With these tips, you have a good chance to recover them. Simple steps can bring back lost data. Try each method. One might work for you!